Opinion: I was a refugee when strangers saved my life. Now I welcome others.

27 years ago, just before my 30th birthday, I found myself surrounded by strangers and uncertainty in a refugee camp outside my native country of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Violent conflict had forced me to flee, traveling 8,000 miles for safety.

My journey, like that of many refugees, was marked by fear and struggle. We slept outside, with limited access to clean water and no electricity. Today, more than 6 million people globally find themselves in similar situations in refugee camps.

Despite these hardships, my time spent in the refugee camp changed my perspective on life forever. Surrounded by strangers speaking different languages, I witnessed profound acts of kindness, teaching me you don't need to know someone to support them.

Fortunately, my refugee claim was eventually approved, and I was bound for Austin, a place I knew little about. Upon arriving in Austin, I grappled with the grief for the life I left behind, while trying to adjust to a new city with different customs and cultures.

There were numerous bumps along the road, including complications with my education status. I had graduated high school and completed a bachelor’s degree before arriving in America, but since I didn’t fully understand the U.S. education system, I thought I had to start all over. I ended up going back to school to get my GED, a bachelor's degree in IT and a MBA.

My journey was hard, but the silver lining is that the challenges I faced prepared me to help others. As I gradually became connected to other Congolese throughout the city, I co-founded the Association for Congolese in Austin (ACA), a nonprofit that provides counseling and guidance to help newcomers transition into the United States.

Last year, my ACA colleagues and I learned about the Welcome Corps , a service opportunity that matches Americans with arriving refugees to help them build their new lives in the United States. Unlike other traditional refugee resettlement agencies that can feel impersonal, the Welcome Corps brings sponsors and families together in a more personal way, allowing people to develop relationships and get to know one another. The Welcome Corps also provides the same types of resources and guidance that I benefited from during my first few months in the United States.

Our ACA sponsor group, most refugees ourselves, sponsored a Venezuelan family of three. At first, we were unsure about accepting a family whose culture and language were so different from ours. But I remembered that much like the strangers who helped me along my journey, we don’t need to know people to support them.

We set up translation services and helped the family secure permanent housing.  Almost a year later, we still meet every Friday with the family to answer any questions they have and talk about life. It’s heartening to see how they’ve made a home here in Austin, and the connection we’ve formed gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

As a father of four, I hope that my children understand that helping others requires time and effort, but it's ultimately incredibly rewarding and meaningful. I hope my fellow Americans will continue to open their hearts and welcome people like me who have overcome countless challenges to arrive safely in the United States.

I encourage every American to consider becoming a sponsor to welcome refugees and to help them navigate their new home. As someone who has been on both sides – a refugee and now a sponsor – I can attest to the program’s transformative power. It's a journey from being a stranger in a new land to becoming a beacon of hope for others. I invite you to join us in this rewarding endeavor. Together, we can make a difference, one family at a time.

Muhigirwa lives in Austin and is a co-founder of both the Association for Congolese in Austin and Furaha House.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Opinion: I was a refugee when strangers saved my life. Now I welcome others.